ALTERNATIVE EXTRACTION OF METALS

Question 1

what is copper used in

Answer 1

electronic equipment (like phones)

Question 2

why have we started to extract low grade ores

Answer 2

there is a high demand for copper but the amount of high-grade copper ores is rapidly decreasing so we have to extract copper from low-grade ores that only contain a very small amount of copper so it is harder to extract the copper economically from these ores

Question 3

explain the process of phytomining

Answer 3

• plants are grown on land containing the metal compound that we want
• these plants absorb the metal compound and concentrate it in their tissue
• the plants are then harvested and burnt
• the ash contains a high concentration of the metal compound

Question 4

explain the process of bioleaching

Answer 4

• bacteria are mixed with a low grade ore
• the bacteria carry out chemical reactions and produce the leachate solution
• the leachate contains the metal compound that you want

Question 5

explain the 2 ways of how to extract the copper from it’s compound

Answer 5

displace the copper using iron. As iron is more reactive than copper. And we usually use scrap iron as this is cheap

can also extract the copper using electrolysis

Question 6

list the positives of bioleaching and phytomining

Answer 6

+ they allow you to extract copper from low grade ore

+ you don’t have to dig, transport and dispose of large amounts of rock unlike you do in traditional mining